Five Days

Five Days

Adult nonfiction
"...The violence [police brutality] was physical but correlated
with the emotional violence that was often its cause or consequence.
And the violence was pervasive, a factor in every decision you made--
which streets you walked down, what time you started and ended your
day, whom you trusted. The most quotidian decisions were shaped by
determined abnormalities. You called it life."
Freddie Gray, born in Baltimore, had the odds against him all of
his too short life. His mother was an illiterate woman with an
addiction to heroin. He was born premature and spent the first months
of his life in the hospital. When he was two he was diagnosed with
elevated levels of lead in his blood. The toxin led to academic and
behavioral challenges that made school a struggle.
April 12, 2015 Gray was arrested. He was put in leg irons and
placed in a police van. He arrived at the police station
unconscious. April 14 he underwent emergency surgery. April 19 he
was declared dead.
Gray's murder was the straw that broke the camel's back for many
Baltimore residents. Peaceful protests escalated into conflicts
between citizens and police. Eventually the National Guard was called
in.
Wes Moore's Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning Of An American City
describes five pivotal days (April 25-29) from the perspectives of
eight very diverse participants including:
*Tawanda, an activist whose brother had been killed by the police two
years earlier;
*Partee, a police officer facing situations his training had nowhere
near prepared him for;
*Anthony, running a roller skating rink that was keeping a lot of kids
off the streets;
and *Jenny, a public defender in the juvenile justice system.
In his author's note Moore discusses some of the deep rooted
systemic injustices behind the citizens' anger and uprising. This is
a great read for those new to Black Lives Matter.
On a purrrsonal note, this was a very important weekend for me.
Yesterday was the Dirigo Leadership Conference. My presentation (my
first big presentation) was late in the afternoon. I used my backpack
project as an example of how people can use their skills, interests/
passions, connections, and knowledge of local challenges to create
programs where they live. I think it went well. I came early and did
the whole program. I found the other presentations interesting and
the food delicious. I learned that Dirigo Leadership Society isn't
just for undergrads. I've done enough to earn the first level badge.
Two more badges and I can get inducted. Where I love leadership ops
like Tobago loves cat treats... (Jules)
She should go for it and buy me more cat treats. (Tobago)
A great big shout out to all who did all the on the site directing and
behind the scenes work that made the conference run so smoothly.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway



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